A legend said that before the Kami fell to earth, once lived a monk, Yama, who met a kenku who was meditating beside Heaven's Mirror. Yama waited with patience several days or weeks, until the Kenku opened his eyes. The next day the monk approached the mythical creature, who said this was his one hundred and eighth reincarnation, and claimed he had been meditating uninterrupted on this spot for exactly one hundred and eight days, one for every mortal temptation, reaching Enlightenment. [3]

Because Yama had not interrupted his meditations, which would have foiled his achievement of understanding, the Kenku explained any soul living its one hundred and eighth life could meditate the same number of days and achieve the same enlightenment, and that Yama was in his hundred and eighth life. The Kenku left, and the monk sought out a serene spot above the lake, and began to meditate for one hundred and eight days. [4]

On the one hundred and seventh night a group of bandits charged into the clearing, pursuing a deer. Yama's meditation was interrupted, and he saw the deer cut down
by the bandits and felt enlightenment slip from him. Angered, the monk called the attention of the intruders. The bandit leader approached Yama and severed his head. [5]

Yama's anger was so great that his spirit rose from his body as a goryo, a vengeful ghost which killed the bandits. The spirit donned the ebony armor of one of the fallen bandits and dragging their spirits all into the realm of Meido so he could be sure of their punishment. Thus he became Emma-O, the Final Judge, Fortune of Death. [5] The Order of Peaceful Repose was devoted to him. [6]

The Temple to Emma-O was built in the place where Yama transformed into the Judge of Meido. A twisted willow tree grew there, with one hundred and seven branches, not quite one hundred and eight. In time around the shrine was built a castle, Kyuden Kurogane-Hana. [7]

Emma-O meted out all manner of tortures, such as beating the sinner's soul with iron rods, making it eat molten lead, or impaling it repeatedly on sword trees. [8] However, once every several centuries Emma-O left his realm for a single day and entered the mortal world to free himself from his endless duty. In a few instances this had resulted in children, born from his trysts with mortal women. [9]

Emma-O's palace was a drab, uninteresting gray structure with little decoration. In the inner chambers was his throne of bone-white stone. [2] It was surrounded by a still lake of pure silver water. [10]

In 1158 Emma-O sensed an intruder who had appeared in his realm, the roninMorito Tokei. The shugenja had arrived from Sakkaku, the Realm of Mischief, guided by a mujina. Emma-O suggested Tokei to remain at Meido, but Tokei decided he had to follow his journey through the Spirit Realms, expecting to reach Ningen-do. The Fortune of Death aided him, [12] moving Tokei to Yomi. [13]

Emma-O was visited again, this time by Toturi Sezaru, in his attempt to speak with his father's soul. The Wolf wanted to pass to Yomi from Meido, but while talking with Emma-O he guessed the Fortune of Death was who released Fu Leng. Enraged Emma-O left him, blocking Sezaru's journey. [2]

The same year, 1159, in the month of the Rat, [15] Emma-O was attacked in his castle by the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang, the gaijin Lords of the Death. They were trying to depose the Fortune and kept the Realm of Meido to be ruled by them alone. Kitsu Hisashi, a Sodan Senzo who had traveled to Meido to know why several Fortunes had died, stepped in and propose an arrangement: Emma-O would continue in his duties as the Fortune of Death, but the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang would rule by his side. Emma-O would continue to govern the destinies of the unworthy dead, but the Lords of Death would determine their punishments. All parties agreed, and the Lords swore to aid the Fortune of Death to recover his spear. [10]

In the month of the Dragon of 1160[16] Emma-O wanted more power to avoid more intruders or threats to its rulership. He came to the Mortal Realm and met Kyofu in a Crab village that the onisu was devastating. The Fortune used his power to alter the balance of power within the Crab's soul, and Hida Kuroda retook the control of his corpse over the onisu's will. None, not even Daigotsu, would tell what had been done unless Kuroda revealed himself. Emma-O gave him a netsuke, the Emma-O's Amulet, a nemuranai that would conscript to Meido all the souls of those Kuroda kill, regardless of their destiny. The power of Emma-O could be greatly empowered with all the souls the undead could send to his realm. The amulet was abandoned by the Crab after the Fortune left, and shortly after was retrieved by Akodo Tadenori. [17]

Shortly after Daigotsu's death in 1160, Omoni mended the fatal wounds Toturi Tsudao had inflicted and left the Dark Lord's vessel whole again. Goju Kyoden committed seppuku to sacrifice his soul to the Shadow Dragon in order to resurrect the Dark Lord. [18] The vengeful Emma-O still retained part of Daigotsu's soul, which purified Daigotsu of his Taint, severing Daigotsu's connection to Jigoku, and left him unable to call upon Fu Leng's blessing. [19]

Matsu Goemon's made a call to the dead heroes of Rokugan to fight the Legion of Blood. Emma-O had offered information, subtle assistance from a servant within the Shadowlands, Hida Kuroda. [21] The Fortune had visited Kuroda in the Plains Above Evil. Emma-O told him about Goemon, who was rallying the Legion of the Dead to fight Iuchiban in the realms beyond. Kuroda knew the bloodspeakers were more active near Volturnum, and knew Rezan believed the Oblivion's Gate still had power to connect with another realm. Emma-O encouraged him to seek the poet and make a deal. [22]

The soul of Doji Satsume, the Crane Clan Champion, had been fouled by the Shadow Dragon to seek his wife's soul, Doji Teinko, in the realm of Meido. [23] Emma-O felt the presence of an outsider, Satsume and faced him. The Crane begged to be exchanged for his wife, which finally Emma-O agreed. The presence of Satsume had distracted Emma-O, [24][25] while the Lords of the Death had traveled to the Realm of Thwarted Destiny. With no guardians, Daigotsu Hoturi sneaked into the Emma-O's fortress and retrieved the imprisoned piece of Daigotsu's soul, on behalf of the Shadow Dragon. [26] Emma-O when sensed it quickly returned, but it was too late. [24] The Dragon would gift it to Daigotsu, fully restoring the Dark Lord's former power. [26]

In 1172 Doji Midoru was inside a temple to the Lords of the Death when without intention trespassed the veil between realms and appeared in Meido, in front of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang. Emma-O revealed Midoru was his son, and the Crane used this connection to beg help to find his adopted father, Konetsu. He expected to destroy him ending the shame Konetsu brought to his name. Emma-O accepted, but warned it would lead Midoru into great danger. [27]

On a mission for the Spider, Konetsu's party was routed by Doji Midoru and he was brought before the fortune Emma-O, who removed the Rain of Blood's corrupting influence, and ordered him to rejoin the Crane Clan as Doji Konetsu. [28]

Emma-O had had an affair with a beautiful woman, who was with child when she married an Isawa. The son was named Isawa Koizumi, and in 1199 he learned from Doji Midoru's spirit of his true lineage. [32]